SAAFLA

I'm a little behind on my blog news, so I only just recently read about a new nonprofit rescue organization formed, in part, by tireless shelter advocate and rescue blogger extraordinaire, Lola McKnight of The Shelter Chronicles (formerly Lola 4 Dogs). The group is calling itself Shelter Animal Advocacy Fund Los Angeles (SAAFLA), and its main goal is rehabilitating so-called hard-to-adopt dogs – those that have been in the shelter longer than others or scheduled for euthanization for various reasons – and get them into good homes (with a bit of pet-ownership education thrown in for good measure).

SAAFLA is different from other rescue organizations in that they don't actually pull dogs; instead, they work from the inside out, rehabilitating and training the animals while they're still in the shelter and then "marketing" them to potential adopters. It takes advantage of the system – the dogs aren't being housed or fed on SAAFLA's dime – in the best possible way. It's risky, but it's brilliant.

Lola and her fellow volunteers are really doing the hard work at the shelter, investing their time, their money and, quite frankly, their emotions in a very precarious proposition. They're utilizing their skills without a whole lot of money, but with the best of intentions. And who else (besides maybe The Mutt Scouts) is going to help the "unadoptables?"

If you're tired of spending your Xmas dollars on ultimately meaningless gifts, the value of which will probably fade within the month, give to SAAFLA (or to your favorite rescue group). It'll be the best money you'll spend all year.

Shelter Animal Advocacy Fund Los Angeles (SAAFLA)

The Shelter Chronicles (Lola McKnight's West L.A. shelter blog)

(note: Although the website on the SAAFLA logo reads saafla.org, it's actually saafla.com. They've only been around a few weeks, so details are being worked out, but you can still donate via Paypal.)